Improved railway-curve



mi tant atentlti VERTOT D. BEACH, 0F BATTLE CREEK, 'MICHIGAN'.

Latas' Patent No. 86,631, dated Fama/ry 9, 1869.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-CURVE.

The Schedule referred tqin these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

usual, and giving it an oval form upon its lupper sur-` face. The general object of this. construction is' to permit the Wheels of cars to pass around the curves Without p slipping upon the track, or grinding against the rails,

and this largely increases the safety of trains in passing such parts, by diminishing the natiual tendency to run olf the track. 4

The special object of this invention is to permit the inner rail to be readily adjusted for curves of different radius.

The details of construction and the manner of operation will be fully described hereinafter.

In thedrawngs* llligure l is a plan view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a section of road, with wheels of a car represented thereon; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section of my improved rail.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed,to describe its construction and operation;

on the rails composing said curves, by reason of f'the great strain to which'the rails are subjected, by the tendency of the wheels to run off at a tangent, this strain being particularly great on the outer rail.

To obviate this difficulty, I construct my inner much Wider than the outer, and give it an oval form on its upper surface, as before mentioned.

The direct result of this construction is. to virtually diminish the circumference of the inner-wheel, by

which means the latter passes over less space in the same time, than thev outer wheel.

The result is effected by causing the inner wheel to` bea-r upon the rail, at a point near its outeredge, when its periphery is smaller, while the outer wheel bears upon its rail, at a point near its inner edge, when its periphery is larger. This, position of the Wheels, While passing a curve, is clearly shown in fig. 2.

For the purposeof adjusting the rail and curves of different radius, I provide the rail with an oval top,

as is shown in fig. 3i' By thisv construction I am en abled to make nice adjstments' for curves of different radiusby elevating the outer edge of the rail more or less, to bring the bearing of the inner wheel nearer or further from the inner edge of the rail', by which means, of course, the Wheel maybe rendered practically larger or smaller, as may be desired.

I adjust the rail by wedges, as is shown in g. 2, or sinking its inner edge into the tie.

If the track-master finds tbat the flanges of the 'outer wheels grind against the rail, the oute'r'edge of v the rail O should be elevated, in order that the inner wheel may tread upon a smaller part of its periphery, and m'ce versa if a contrary result is produced.

The inner rail should be, in practice, constructed of suiiicient'vwidth, that the wheel cannot bear upon its edges and break it down. The width in other respects is not essential. l

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- The broad rail O, having an oval top, when arranged as described, and when used for curves, lin connection with the ordinary tapering car-Wheels, as andfor the purpose set forth. p

VERTOT D. BEACH.

Witnesses Grnonen RUHLANDT, H. F. EBERTS. 

